Rasmei Kampuchea Daily (English)

October 26, 2005

“The First Conference of the Asia Economic Forum”

     Phnom Penh: October 24-25, 2005 at Le Royal Hotel, the Asia Economic Forum of the University of Cambodia in cooperation with the International Foundation for Arts and Culture organized The First Conference of the Asia Economic Forum on “The Future of Asia: The First East Asia Summit and Its Implications for Asia and the World.”  Joining this two-days conference was His Excellency Dr. Keat Chhon, Senior Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, High Representative of Samdech Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia, along with national and international guests.

     His Excellency, Dr. Keat Chhon who presided over the meeting said that the conference was very important, because the conference will provide opportunities for exchange of views and insights in order to work towards a shared partnership of cooperation, collaboration, and concerted actions in Asia. The conference will help Asia work towards building the Asian community, because Asian is becoming an important continent in the world today.

     In the continuation of the conference, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, President of the University of Cambodia, Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation made his welcoming remarks followed by Dr. Haruhisa Handa, Founding Chairman of Asia Economic Forum and Chancellor of the University of Cambodia. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn said that Asia Economic Forum (AEF) is an independent think tank, which established by the University of Cambodia in May of 2005. AEF acts as a forum for promoting policy dialogue on major issues facing Asia at present and in the future.  AEF’s main goal is to promote sustainable development, which includes human development, economic progress, and environmental sustainability in Asia at the time of increasing globalization and growing regionalization in the world today.